Russia is famous for its rivers and lakes, the most beautiful of which is hard to find in the whole world. Some reservoirs attract with their picturesque beauty and charm, others with rare properties. Lake Baskunchak, which is located in the Astrakhan region, is interesting for travelers, tourists and guests of the region for both.
Geographic location
The reservoir is located in the north of the Astrakhan region, not far from it there is a settlement - the city of Akhtubinsk. The reservoir has an elongated shape (from north to west), its length reaches 18 km, its width varies from 6 to 13 km. Total area - 115 sq. km. The distance from the Caspian Sea is 270 km, from the Volga River - 53 km to the east. Currently, the entire adjacent territory is included in the Bogdinsko-Baskunchaksky Reserve, where Lake Baskunchak is rightfully recognized as the pearl of the region. This region received the status of a nature protection object in 1997. Since that time, there have been special protected regimes that do not allow numerous guests to harm the environment.or spoil rare natural attractions.
Baskunchak is a marble lake, it is called so because of its unusual appearance with placers of s alt. From afar, it looks like ice. Many at first take it for a surface dotted with holes, as if water is peeking through a crust of ice. These "holes" are the result of the extraction of s alt from the surface. It is in these places that swimming is very beneficial for the body.
Legends
The lake is literally surrounded by myths. It has been known to people since ancient times, merchants and merchants constantly led their caravans through the adjacent territory. There are legends about its name - in translation from the Turkic languages it can be translated as "dog's head". They say that once, in ancient times, the lake became so shallow that its bottom was exposed, and a merchant passing by decided to shorten his path and drive straight along it. The quick step of the horse and its hooves protected the animal from the s alt, and the dog running behind hurt its paws on the crystals and died. Then the rainy season began, the lake was filled with water, and the corpse of the dead dog was preserved in s alt and constantly floated to the surface, many travelers saw it. Another legend also speaks of dog death - in the heat, a caravan of merchants passing by saw a lake, travelers stopped near it to rest. The dog accompanying the people rushed to drink water, but the animal was poisoned by the excess of s alt and fell into the lake. And the dog's head was seen for a long time on the surface of the water.
And the most beautiful of legends tells ofthe unhappy love of a girl who was forcibly passed off as a rich man, and therefore her beloved died. She wept at the foot of the mountain for several days, and her tears turned into a s alt lake.
Properties
Baskunchak (marble lake) lies 21 meters below sea level. Its water is very s alty, some sources say that it exceeds that of the Dead Sea. Its salinity is 300 g/l. The lake itself is a deepening of a s alt mountain, the base of which goes thousands of meters deep. Its food comes from numerous springs and a river called Gorkaya. Neither plants nor animals can exist in the lake - only bacteria that can tolerate such a concentration of s alt live there.
The waste product of these organisms is a special clay, which covers the entire coast. This clay and mud have a number of healing properties, curing many diseases. S alt Lake Baskunchak is widely used for he alth purposes. The air around it is also healing, it contains a lot of bromine and phytoncides, which have a beneficial effect on people. The saline solution that fills the lake is called brine. It has a positive effect on many organs and systems.
Indications
Many vacationers are interested in the question: Lake Baskunchak what heals? Therapeutic mud has a beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system, nervous and genitourinary systems, and digestive organs. A good effect is achieved in the treatment of skin diseases, ear, throat, nose and respiratory organs. lake mudBaskunchak has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antispasmodic effects. Water has a number of therapeutic effects: vasoconstrictor, cardiostimulating, immunocorrective, anti-inflammatory, has a beneficial effect on metabolism and improves the functioning of the digestive tract. Treatment with it is indicated in the presence of diseases of the circulatory system, digestion, skin diseases. Healing water has a number of contraindications. People with diseases such as tuberculosis, cancer, hypertension, infectious and sexually transmitted diseases - in the acute stage, glaucoma and eczema, treatment is not recommended. It is best to use the healing properties under the supervision of specialists - there is a dispensary nearby, where it is possible to complete a full course of recovery in comfortable conditions.
Baskunchak, lake: how to get there
The reservoir is located near the border with Kalmykia. The nearest villages are Upper and Lower Baskunchaks, their indigenous population is Kalmyks. By road, you can get to the lake along the Volgograd-Astrakhan highway, from which there is a straight road with good coverage. From Volgograd to the reservoir you need to go along the left bank of the Volga, a distance of about 200 km. The path passes through the city of Akhtubinsk to the villages of Upper and Lower Baskunchaks, before entering the latter one must turn right - and Baskunchak, the lake, will open before the travelers. How to get to it from the villages, local residents can tell - for a separate fee. Along the highway there is a railway, along which s alt was previously delivered. Fromsightseeing buses constantly run to the nearest cities, you can get on them.
S alt mining
Lake Baskunchak has been known since ancient times, it is famous for its purest s alt - 98%. It has been mined since the 8th century by hand and sent along the Silk Road. The first mentions of this place are found in historical sources from 1627. At that time, s alt was mined with the help of shovels and crowbars, it was delivered from the lake to the shore on camels. Starting from the 20s of the last century, mining improved - machines and combines began to be used, a railway was laid for export. In one hour, using special equipment, you can extract up to 300 tons of s alt. Lake Baskunchak, where one of the main s alt deposits in Russia is located, has been developed by the Bassol enterprise. It supplies up to 80% of all the country's reserves. Moreover, the s alt of this particular deposit is distinguished by its purity and the most useful properties.
Race racing venue
One of the unusual venues for car competitions is Baskunchak, a lake. (See above for directions.) From 1960 to 1963, a high-speed track was built on it. During the competition, 29 all-Union records were set. The races were held on an absolutely flat ring road, the length of which was 20 km. The s alt crust covering the surface of the lake was a unique place for competitions - it is absolutely flat. Later, when s alt production increased more and more, the hydrological situation on the lake changed, and its surface becameunsuitable for racing. In this regard, regular competitions in this region have ceased
Sanatorium
S alt Lake Baskunchak attracts many guests from all over the country. The sanatorium in its vicinity with the same name consists of one building, where guests are offered 1-, 2-, 3-bed rooms equipped with everything necessary for recreation and living. Each room has a shower, bathroom, toilet, satellite TV, refrigerator, cutlery. The food offered in the sanatorium is 4 times a day, there is a dining room. You can order a tour of the reserve, visit the s alt mining museum, which contains historical exhibits that tell about the local craft. The dispensary offers guests various medical procedures with healing mud and baths. There are massage and laser therapy, he alth-improving physical education and special nutrition. On the territory of the sanatorium there is a cafe, a gym, a sauna, a pharmacy, a gym, several shops. It is convenient to get there by rail to the Verkhniy Baskunchak station, or by road. The main landmark is Baskunchak, the lake. How to get to the he alth complex, you can ask local residents or vacationers.
Lake Baskunchak: reviews
Travelers visiting the lake are unanimous in admiring the unusual landscapes and vivid impressions of the trip. Tourists recommend that you definitely take shoes with you in which you can go swimming, as there are a lot of sharp s alt crystals at the bottom of the lake. In addition, you will need fresh water -rinse after swimming. If s alt water from the lake gets into the eyes, it burns the mucous membrane, and children are especially painful for this. It is customary to swim here carefully so as not to splash either yourself or those nearby. Therapeutic mud is widely used by vacationers right on the shore, but it is better to collect mud as close as possible to the center of the lake - it is cleaner there. S alt water literally pushes to the surface, while swimming it leaves a lot of impressions for everyone who came to Lake Baskunchak. Reviews of vacationers about it are numerous and mostly enthusiastic, so they will be useful to everyone who is planning a trip for the first time.
Prospects
Baskunchak is also unique in terms of inexhaustibility - its reserves are constantly replenished in a natural way. It is interesting in that human intervention has practically not caused damage to this special ecosystem. In 1927, scientists tried to reach the very bottom of the s alt formation and determine the underlying rock. Wells were drilled, excavations were underway and work was carried out. They stopped at around 257 meters - and they never reached the very bottom. Despite the endless s alt reserves, the lake is still located in a protected area - this means that respect for it is regulated at the state level. Lake Baskunchak, where the main s alt deposit in the country is located, is not only a unique natural site, but also an important resource for the Russian economy.
